By Katrina Rasbold
“Tarot Talk” is a once-a-week reading with a deep exploration of the card we pull. What are some aspects of the card (as per the original Pamela Colman Smith artwork) that add extra dimensions to the interpretation? How does that tell us what to focus on in the coming week? This week’s card is…
THE TEN OF WANDS
The Ten of Wands shows how a card can depict exhaustion and hope in one image. We see a figure bent over from the weight of the ten wands they carry. Pamela Colman Smith captures the essence of carrying an oppresive weight while staying in motion.
A Deeper Look:
Although the tendency is to focus on how heavy and cumbersome that load of giant wands looks, there are a few encouraging things to notice. One is that each wand shows new growth, which is the promise of new beginnings. This is important since our card for this week is a ten, which is the end of a cycle. Wands represent energy, academia, communication, and mental accuity. The end of one cycle suggests the beginning of another and the leaves sprouting on the wands confirm this.
In the distance, there is a large house and we presume this to be the person’s destination. They are “almost home,” when presumably, they can lay down their heavy burden. Whether they carried this burden a long or short distance is unsure, but we can see that they certainly feel the weight of the journey and the burden. They seem dedicated to reaching their destination with each wand safely intact.
Because wands are all about energy, words, and thoughts, there is a good chance that the burden the card represents is a mental burden and those can be the hardest to “put down” when we reach our goal. The Ten of Wands assures us that we are due a time of rest and rejuvenation after carrying the emotional and mental weight of a problem to the point of exhaustion. It is up to us to know when to let go of the situation, trust we have done all that we can do, and let it go.
What to Focus On This Week:
What mental load are you carrying that feels oppressive? What is the “end game” for resolution of that issue? Did you pass up the finish line of your involvement and not recognize it? How long is this burden yours to carry? This card tells you that the end is in sight and you can soon lay down your burdens and start a new chapter. Your long journey, trying to hold things together that want to fall apart, is almost over. Do not let your involvement drift into martyrdom and pay attention to when you should release your obligations, worry, and attempts to resolve a difficult situation. Take advantage of some much-needed self-care before you move on to the next phase. Your arms, legs, and back ache. Your burden wants to fall into disarray and scatter at your feet. Your head is down and your heart is tired. Home is in sight. You’re almost at the conclusion of this. Know when to let it go and walk away.
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Katrina Rasbold is a professional Witch, published author, priestess, and editor of Green Egg Magazine. She and her husband, Eric, are the creators of the CUSP spiritual path and owners of Crossroads Occult. She is the author of Tarot For Real People. You can reach her through www.katrinarasbold.com.